Reconciliation, Voting Rights, Appropriations
Both houses of Congress return this week as the House joins the Senate in an early return. Facing members is a list of challenges some are a carryover while Covid-19 returns in another variant.
On the
Letter in Support of Build Back Better’s Childcare and Pre-K Investments
With the Build Back Better bill stalled in the Senate, many historic gains for children and families are now in jeopardy, including the proposed investments in child care and early education. The National Women’s
The Child Tax Credit: Family Impact Stories
Has the Child Tax Credit impacted your personal life or the life of a loved one? Personal stories about the direct impact of policies can be an effective strategy in advocating for change with lawmakers,
ACA Enrollment Reaches High As Open Enrollment Continues
Last month CMS announced new records for people signing up for health care coverage through the federal and state exchanges under the Affordable Care Act with more than 13.6 million people signing up for ACA
The Child Tax Credit: Research Roundup
The Center on Policy and Social Policy at Columbia University has released an important new report that rounds up the wide range of available research about the expanded Child Tax Credit. Since the introduction
CMS Rejects Georgia Medicaid-Work Requirements
On Thursday, December 23, 2021, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) formally rejected the state of Georgia’s Medicaid waiver to impose work requirements on people as a condition of Medicaid coverage. CMS had given
HHS Releases Guidance and Awards on Mobile Response Units
In April of 2021, The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) reported findings on the effectiveness of mobile responses – “an alternative to using law enforcement to respond to mental health and social crisis.” In December CLASP generated a
Build Back Better Pushed to 2022? CTC In Peril
At first talks between the President of the United States and a single senator last week did not result in an agreement on a reconciliation bill and, as a result, the legislation was delayed until
Debt Ceiling Deal, Reconciliation Christmas?
Last Tuesday, December 7, 2021, congressional leaders came to an agreement on how to raise the federal debt ceiling that should be adopted and finalized this week. The process is a two-step bill strategy that
CWLA Joins Effort: CMS Support for Police-Free Youth Mobile Response
The Child Welfare League of America has signed onto the letter/request by the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and other organizations in urging the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to prioritize
Prevention Clearinghouse Calls for More Program/Service Recommendations
The Prevention Services Clearinghouse, created under the Family First Act, has issued a new call for additional recommendations. As noted in the announcement the call is an opportunity for the public to recommend mental health,
GAO on Student Bullying, Hate Speech, Crimes, and Victimization in Schools
Last week the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report: Students’ Experiences with Bullying, Hate Speech, Hate Crimes, and Victimization in Schools, indicating that about one in five students aged 12 to 18
Adoption/Kinship Incentive Payment Dropped Last Year
The Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentives released earlier this year provided just $24 million in incentive funding for states that placed children in adoptive families or in legal subsidized guardianship during 2020. In recent
Report on Effectiveness of Youth Mobile Response
In April of 2021, The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) reported findings on the effectiveness of mobile responses – “an alternative to using law enforcement to respond to mental health and social crisis.” This week CLASP started a
Legislation Would Suspend Fees for Youth in Foster Care/Homeless
Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced the Helping Foster and Homeless Youth Achieve Act last Thursday, December 9, 2021. CWLA has endorsed the legislation.
The bipartisan legislation seeks to improve access to
FY 2022 Appropriations Extended Through February 18
The Senate agreed to a CR extension through February 18, 2022, late Thursday night (November 2) after a week of threats by some Republican senators who objected to the Biden Administration vaccination policies. The House
CTC Data Shows How Children Are Lifted out-of-Poverty: Now They Could Fall Off Cliff if Congress Doesn’t Act
The latest analysis from the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Colombia University on the impact of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) shows that the October Child Tax Credit payments kept 3.6 million
ProPublica Article Raises Concerns on “Shadow Foster Care”
On December 1, 2021, ProPublica and The New York Times Magazine published an article titled, ‘They Took Us Away From Each Other’: Lost Inside America’s Shadow Foster System” by reporter Lizzie Presser.
The article details what
Pediatrician Groups Release Data on COVID-19 Children
On Wednesday, December 1, 2021, the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a summary of data taken between May 21, 2020 through
House Leadership Announces 2022 Schedule
On November 30, 2021 House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) released the 2022 House Calendar here. If the Congress runs into the Christmas and New Year’s holidays it will be a quick return to work
2023 Budget Likely Delayed
There have been no official announcements by the Administration, but with Congress once again unable to complete a budget before the end of the calendar year, (and
New AFCARS Data See Drop in Numbers, Maybe Freeze in Courts or Systems
November 29, 2021
New AFCARS data indicates foster care number down, but a closer examination may suggest a pandemic impact on entries and exits. The new AFCARS report was released last week, and it shows
House Passes Build Back Better Reconciliation
The House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act reconciliation bill (HR 5376) on Friday, November 19, 2021, after a week of waiting. The waiting was driven by the need for a
Administration Nominates Oregon’s Gaston to ACYF
On Thursday, November 18, 2021, the President nominated Rebecca Jones Gaston to become the Commissioner for the Administration on Children Youth and Families (ACYF). The position has been vacant
CDC Confirms Continuing Trend of Increasing Drug Overdose Deaths
Data released by to CDC on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, confirmed earlier reports that drug overdoses continued to skyrocket with the country reaching 100,000 for the first time in U.S. history. The data measures overdose